Apparatus for preparing justified lines of type or matrices or justified matrix-lines.



Patented Jan. 30, I900. C. SEARS. APPARATUS FOR PREPARING JUSTIFIED LINES OF TYPE OR MATRICES 0B JUSTIFIED MATRIX LINES.

(Application filed Sept. 22, 1898.) (No Model.)

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CHARLES SEARS, OF CLEVELAND, OIIIO.

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING JUSTIFIED LINES OF TYPE 0R MATRICES OR JUSTIFIED MATRIX-LINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,264, dated January 30, 1900. Application filed September 22,1898- Serial No. 691,64. (No model.)

To (all whont it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES SEARS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Preparing Justified Lines of Type or Matrices or a Justified Matrix-Line, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying, drawings.

The invention relates to a novel process of preparing justified lines of type or matrices or a justified matrix-line, and also to certain improvements in a typewriter which facilitates the practice of said process, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

For the practice of my invention it is necessary to prepare the copy on a type-writer which employs type constructed as many fonts of printers type are-namely, according to a unit system and which spaces the line differentially-that is to say, gives to each letter an amount of space proportionate to the width of the letter. Various forms of such type-writing machines are known.

In preparing a copy-line spaces of uniform width are placed between the words and as many words and syllables are placed in the line as possible. The operator then ascertains how many units the line is short of the proper length, and he then puts at the end of the copy-line a character indicating such number of units. This copy then goes to the operator who is to set up the line of type or matrices or make the matrix impressions. The type or matrices out of which the line is to be formed must also be constructed on a corresponding unit system. In beginning to form this type or matrix line the operator first notes how many units of space must be added tothe line, and then as he goes on he adds one or more units to the spaces between words until he has added the desired number, as indicated by the character at the end of the copy-line. He will of course add as nearly as possible the same number of units of extra space to all spaces between words. When the indicated number of units have been. added, the justification is comp1etethat is to say, spaces of the normal width are to be placed between the remaining words, if there are any.

In order to facilitate the ascertainment by the type-writer operator of the number of units which each line is short, the type-writing machine is provided with an index adapted to show the shortage at a glace. This index consists of a pointer and a scale graduated in the same units as that upon which the type characters are constructed, which pointer and scale are secured the one to the movable carriage and the other to the fixed framework of the machine. These two cooperating devices move relatively in juxtaposition to each other and indicate either that the line is full or that it is so many units short.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation and a plan view of part of a type-writer and its carriage provided with an index for determining the number of units a line printed thereon is short of the proper length. Figs. 3 and at are similar views of a modified construction, and Fig. 5 is a view of a completed copy-line as it comes from said type-writer.

Referring to the parts by letters, Arepresents a line of copy which has been prepared on a type-writing machine, the type of which is constructed on the unit system, and the carriage is fed along differentially-that is to say, a distance proportionate to the width of the several characters-whereby the spaces allotted to the several letters are proportionate to their width. The character 5 at the end of the line indicates the nuinberof units which said line is short of the normal length.

To easily ascertain how many units short a line is, an index comprising a pointer B and a scale C are employed and are secured the one to the carriage D and one to the frame E of the machine. In Figs. 1 and 2 the scale is immovable, while the pointer moves with the carriage. In Figs. 3 and 4 the scale moves, while the pointer remains stationary. The scale is divided by lines into spaces one unit wide, and the graduation-marks begin with zero at the end farthest from the printer when the printing of the line is begun, and they are numbered progressively from that end toward the other. This scale need be no longer than the space which would be filled by the longest single syllable in the English language, which is believed to be wrought. As the copy line is formed letter by letter, the pointer first comes to the highest graduation on the scale and then travels along toward zero,and whenever the carriage stops after all the characters have been added to the line the pointer by its position relative to the scale indicates at once the number of units which the line is short.

It is desirable that means shall be provided whereby a type-writer may make copy for various lengths of linesthatis, for columns of difierent width. Therefore either the pointer or the scale is made adjustable. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the scale is adjustable along a rod d, to which it may be fastened at any desired point by a set-screw c. In Figs. 3 and 4 the pointer is adjustable along a rod d, to which it is fixed by a set-screw b. As before stated, when the operator has put into his copy-line as many syllables as it will hold he sees at once how many units the line is short and he places a character (see 5 in Fig. 5) at the end of the line, which indicates such number. This copy goes to the operator who is to construct the type or matrix line. The character at the end of a copy-line shows him how many units of space ought to be added. He sees how many spaces there are between words. He makes a mental division of the total number of units among the several spaces, and then adds to the normal space between words such additional units of space as are necessary until he has added the total number of units in space indicated by said character.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a type-writing machine whose characters are of various widths and are constructed on the unit system, and which moves its carriage differentially, a scale which is graduated in equal spaces, and is progressively marked with indicating-figures showing the number of spaces which each is from the zero point, and a pointer which is associated with said scale, one of said parts being fixed, and

ters are of various widths and are constructed on the unit system, and which moves its carriage difierentially, the combination of a pointer, and a scale which is graduated in units corresponding to the unit employed in forming the characters, and is progressively marked with figures showing the number of units which each is from the zero-point the zero of graduation being at the end of the scale which is farthest from the pointer when the printing of a line is begun, said pointer and scale being secured the one to the movable carriage and one to a fixed part of the machine.

3. In a type-writing machine whose characters are of various widths and are constructed on the unit system, and which moves its carriage differentially, the combination of a pointer, and a scale which is graduated in units corresponding to the unit employed in forming the characters, and is progressively marked with figures showing the number of units which each is from the zeropoint the zero of graduation being at the end of the scale which is farthest from the pointer when the printing of a line is begun, said pointer and scale being secured the one to the movable carriage and one to a fixed part of the machine, and one of them being adjustable toward and from the other. 7

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SEARS.

\Vitnesses:

E. L. THURSTON, PHILIP E. KNOVVLTON. 

